An attorney, also called a lawyer, represents and advises his or her clients in both criminal and civil cases. An attorney may be a general practitioner or may specialize in one of a variety of areas including criminal, real estate, matrimonial, probate and environmental law.

Tasks:

1. Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations
2. Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses
3. Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents
4. Present and summarize cases to judges and juries
5. Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases
6. Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions, by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case
7. Represent clients in court or before government agencies
8. Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit.
9. Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges and question witnesses during the course of a trial

Key skills for Attourney:

• Collaboration skills
• Emotional intelligence
• Financial literacy
• Project management.
• Technological affinity
• Time management
• Analytical ability
• Persuasiveness
• Logical reasoning
• Attention to detail

Average Salary (2013):

United Kingdom: £44,661 per year
United States of America: $75,803 per year
Australia: AU$67,129 per year

Qualifications and training required:

All attourneys must earn J.D. degrees and obtain licensure in their practicing state. Becoming a attourney typically requires students to earn an undergraduate degree and attend three years of law school. Some students receive advanced law degrees, which enable them to specialize in a certain field, conduct research or teach. Aspiring lawyers don't need to declare a specific major in which to earn their bachelor's degree. Students should pay attention to programs that teach them potentially useful skills, such as writing, speaking, investigating and critical-thinking. Beneficial courses may include political studies, history, economics and philosophy. Students who want to specialize in a specific type of law can earn bachelor's degrees in a field relevant to the specialty, like business.